Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in Tehran Tuesday that recent comments by his US counterpart, Richard Boucher, on Iran's alleged interference in Iraqi internal affairs, were a "spread of rumors."

"US officials are accustomed to attributing baseless charges to others through their tribunes," Asefi said.

The US State Department spokesman has reportedly expressed concern on Monday over what he termed "Iran's interference in internal affairs of Iraq."

Asefi suggested the US authorities to abandon behaving to Iran like that. "We have always kept saying that they (Americans) have to offer their evidence in this connection (Iran's interference in Iraqi affairs)...," Asefi noted, adding "surprisingly, their only valid proof is that Iran and Iraq are neighbors."

According to <i>IRNA</i>, the spokesman concluded by saying "despite all US charges (against Iran) and its interference, Tehran's principle policy towards Baghdad is to prevent involvement in Iraq's internal affairs and to assist restoration of security and stability in that country."